4 Arrested As LAPD, ‘Occupy LA’ Protesters Face Off Downtown

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Police are converging on “Occupy LA” protesters near City Hall. The Los Angeles Police Department had given them a midnight deadline to move from the lawn of city hall, where they’ve been camped out for nearly two months.

“If you do not do so, you may be subject to arrest or other police action,” an officer shouted just after 5:30 a.m.

Four people were arrested, but demonstrators and police were both remaining calm as of 8:30 a.m. In fact, traffic was moving at 1st and Main streets, where protesters are gathered.

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Mayor Villaraigosa released the following statement about Monday morning’s deadline:

“As I stated this past Friday, it is time for Occupy LA to move from focusing their efforts to hold a particular patch of parkland to spreading the message of economic justice and a restoration of balance to American society.

That is why tonight, City Hall Park, where protesters and others have camped for nearly 60 days, will officially close.

While Occupy LA has brought needed attention to the economic disparities in our country, an encampment on City Hall grounds is simply not sustainable indefinitely. We will close and rebuild the park so that any individual will have the opportunity to use this free speech zone to exercise their first amendment rights at City Hall.

During the park rehabilitation, the Spring Street steps of City Hall will remain open during park hours for the Occupy LA movement and other organizations that wish to exercise their freedom of speech.

As Chief Beck has made clear, though the park will officially close tonight at 12:01 a.m., the department will allow campers ample time to remove their belongings peacefully and without disruption.

I am proud of the fact that this has been a peaceful, non-violent protest. It has been peaceful because we have done things differently in Los Angeles.

I trust that we can manage the closure of City Hall Park in the same spirit of cooperation. To facilitate a peaceful and orderly departure from the park, we will take the following steps tomorrow:

1. Officers with General Services police will walk through the encampment handing out bilingual flyers with information about the park closure.

2. Workers from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority will also walk through the encampment to inform people about social and public health services that are available.

3. Starting Monday, we will make 50 shelter beds available for those individuals from the encampment who are homeless and will need an alternate place to spend the night. Winter shelters will open Thursday, December 1, increasing the number of beds available.

4. We will make nearby parking available to make it easier for people to move their belongings and personal property. We have and will continue to work hard to ensure that the park closure will be peaceful and non-violent.

The movement has played an important role in focusing the national conversation on economic equality. I encourage them to expand their efforts far beyond the confines of the City Hall Park in the coming months.”

Can CBS2news PLEASE move on!! Too much attention is being given this group which has had no valid message in a vey long time. I did not turn on the news tis morning to see this – enough is enough! The media is feeding their nothingness.

I agree with you Wiifred, and for me all of the media stations and papers natiowide need to stop carrying any stories about these people and maybe they will do what the majority of us are doing day in and day out, working at whatever job we have, or looking for a job, so that we can feed and house ourselves and our families. I look at this as a 1% vs 99%…that being the 1% who want to be taken care (the Occupy groups) of by everyone else and the 99% working their butts off to have food and housing.

You are not a very bright person Ginny. Read the story and see what the Mayor said. The movement is very valid and has produced national conversation which was its first goal. You show very little knowledge of reality when you make a statement as you do. Banks committed fraud on our society and the Federal Bank created cash to bail them out. This created cash will never be able to be paid back yet our tax money will go to pay the interest. It takes less than 5 minutes of open minded study to see these things. I apologize for being rough with you but your comments are obvious from a person that has no connection with the reality of day to day workings of our now corrupt political and economic system. Grow up and grow a brain cell.

If you are trying to monopolize the conversation – you wont accomplish anything with snide comments like that – maybe choose your wording a little more intelligently… now – one more opinion….I understand their issues – however – in the process of trying to help people they are costing our city thousands in overtime, repairs and clean up fees and you know who is going to eventually pay for that ?? The people that do have jobs and have the money to pay their taxes….and no not people that can afford it….The people im refering to are blue collar – and make what they can, and barely get by as it is….. – its just costing US more money …. On a good note – the fact that they are setting up beds for the homeless because of this and they are actually helping ….thats the one good thing that will come out of this….
In the process of trying to protect people who cant get by – your putting more of a burden on them…just something to think about …..

understandable point Roger. In reality much progress has been made within the Occupy committees (not the homeless encampment that remains) to fully fund the repair of the park. This has been a focus of the group from day 1. We hope to not only fully fund it but include much needed repairs and improvements. Please understand Roger. Occupy has always had a thinking arm. Feed people 6 meals a day and provide medical care, as was the case at the park, and you will draw a crowd of many people. This was a strategic move that is common in any protest meant to draw attention. Success was gained in that area. It has been noticed. We now move on with the agenda. We are just people who are tired of suffering under unfair policies enacted with the help of lobbyists. So much of our money goes to pay bonuses to men who are on vacation for 10 months of the year already. I understand you are upset about the cost of the rehab for the park, but Roger, our tax dollars are wasted everyday. The fact you are concerned about our tax money only shows you are one of the people we are trying to discuss the problems and hopefully the solutions to help.

to cc. you are and idiot the reality is that the banks are crooks maybe you work there as a cat the reason is because you defend the banks and villarraigosa or maybe you are a crook too. you have a stupid brain. the banks are as hyenas like villarraigosa and you waiting to eat of working people in need. so continue cleaning the toilets of the banks. right…………….

People love to place their kids in danger. I have noticed that in the county of Los Angeles. When Parents are way too scared of anyone but are seeking to stir up trouble as the aggressors, they always throw their little child right into the fire of danger to be the first one to be attacked, did you non-parents ever notice that about the parents who are topical chicken shat trouble makers in this State of California? I have. I have personally met shanty shady parents who are so scared to face the truth of their actions that they twist the odds into their favor by using their small kids as human shields to hide behind while they threaten, harass and stalk people they think who cannot turn around and sue them, take their kid away and place their kid in child welfare protection from the parent who used them for a human shield to begin with and then toss the parent so sadly into prison for a few years on a arm load of charges and felonies and by the time they get released, no more kid for them.

These parents at this protest are not good parents, to jeprodise their kids like this. It is a unsafe place to drag your 14 year old into and it is dumb. I am sorry if you parents read my comment and do have a problem with my opinion but all I can say is, My name isn’t fake and I am not afraid of your ridicule for my comment but do yourself a favor, leave your kid in a safe place before the next time you decide to endanger our society with your bull S! I am Mike and you can visit my website and read all about who I am and what I have going for me in my life. I am never scared of YOU.

to republican empire falls I’m a republican idiot they are better but maybe you are cleaning the$%$%$ of some democrats so defend them is your choice idiot and finnaly republicans are the best small brain.